


I'm Still Here

by Welshgreendragon



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, Alternate Universe - Human, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-08-12 23:09:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7952836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Welshgreendragon/pseuds/Welshgreendragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Donatello's daemon refuses to settle, he and Father are at odds, he's falling behind in training and the Foot are on the rise. Donatello better figure out how to solve these problems quickly or there will be nothing left for him to save. Human and daemon au.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: don't own TMNT or Daemons they belong to Nickelodeon and the Golden compass respectively  
> Title is from the song by the goo goo dolls.  
> Leo- Meiyo-Lioness
> 
> Raph-Yuki- Staffie
> 
> Donnie- Michiko- ?
> 
> Mikey- Hikari- Squirrel Monkey
> 
> Splinter- Chie- Red crowned crane
> 
> Casey- Maia- Rottweiler
> 
> April- Revati- fox

A new dawn descended on the Hamato family dojo bathing each room with a warm amber glow, waking the resident early birds, who started their morning rituals quietly as not to disturb those less morning inclined.

A lanky figure stretched before rolling out of bed, yawning he regretted staying up so late into the night, wondering how it was possible to be both a night owl and early bird.

Speaking of owls he cast a glance over shoulder spying a tawny owl perched neatly on a shelf sleeping.

"Morning Michiko." He greeted and the owl cracked open an eye.

"Morning already?" She bemoaned spreading her wings in imitation of her human counterparts stretches.

"Unfortunately." He replied rolling his head and shoulders until the joints popped.

"How is it that no matter how late we stay up, we automatically wake up at 6?" Michiko queried landing softly on her human's shoulder.

"I have many possible theories, but the most likely involves an instinct not to be pecked at by a certain crane and sent to the hashi for being late for morning practice."

"True, Chie's beak seems to have sharpened with age." She shuddered.

"Come on Mich, we'd better get down there or you'll be on the receiving end of Chie's beak again." The owl leaped down transforming mid air and landed on four paws, looking up at her human through the eyes of a Border Collie.

"Yes, let's please try and avoid that."

The boy quickly changed into his training clothes and brushed his teeth before the pair made their way to the dojo.

"Morning Raph" he greeted his brother who apparently was doing his best impression of a zombie trudging towards the dojo. The hot head grunted in response, his daemon Yuki trudged alongside him.

"Morning Yuki." Michiko called out fondly only to duck her head when the Staffie snarled in response.

In silence the four made their way to the dojo unsurprised to see Leo and his daemon doing their warm up routine.

"Morning guys." The leader greeted, while his daemon, Meiyo, inclined her head to her two sisters.

"Morning Leo."

"My sons are you ready to begin our training?" called the calm voice of their father Hamto Yoshi, an imposing man to those who did not know him well tall and dark he was the living embodiment of a ninja warrior.

Something of which he was trying to instil into his adopted sons.

"I'M NOT LATE!" came the frantic cry of his youngest, who came bounding into the dojo. Yuki and Michiko stepped to the side unfazed when the young boy crashed in between the pair of them. His monkey daemon Hikari was sent flying from her perch on his shoulder straight towards Meiyo. But the lioness simply ducked and the poor monkey was sent crashing into the wall.

"I'm afraid you are Michelangelo" Their father drawled with a long suffering sigh.

"Aw Mikey, look at you, you've got your shirt on backwards. Here let me help." Donatello helped his brother to his feet and helped his brother fix himself up, whilst Michiko ran to check on Hikari unknowingly transforming into a doe on route to her sister.

"Today you shall spar against one another. Raphael, Leonardo you shall go first."

"Hai sensei." They called, Leo and Raph taking centre stage their daemons circling each other around them.

"Begin." and the duel began sai and kantas clashing together. While the staffie lunged herself at the lioness, who simply dodged not willing not swipe unless necessary at her sister.

Battles between Leo and Raph were always fierce both needing to outdo the other. The battle was over when Raph had been disarmed and Yuki pinned underneath Meiyo's paws.

"Yame! Well done Leonardo. Raphael you mustn't rely solely on your strength, try and think several moves ahead of your opponent. Donatello, Michelangelo your turn."

The two youngest began. It was often 50/50 who would win between the two youngest, either Donatello could out think and out mover his younger brother or Michelangelo be too unpredictable and fast to beat. Unfortunately for Donatello it appeared to be the latter today as Mikey dodged each of his strikes and wrapped one nun chuck around his bo while another around his leg sending him careering to the ground.

Michiko was not having any luck against Hikari, the squirrel monkey having lunched herself at the now collie and biting the dogs tail leading the poor daemon to run around frantically in attempt to dislodge the intruder, leading to a rather comical scene.

"Yame. Michelangelo good foot work. Donatello we have been over this you cannot win battles simply by outthinking your opponent you must learn to fight instinctively without thinking every move. Michelangelo, Leonardo." He called next and Donatello groaned. That meant he'd be fighting Raphael next, going up against Raphael was painful most days but on the days he'd lost to Leonardo he could bring a whole meaning to the word.

The duel between Michelangelo and Leonardo did not last as long as he'd hoped, Leonardo being the clear victor. The two middle children took their fighting stance.

"Hey Don if you drop the staff I'll go easy on you." His red banded brother taunted, twirling sais in his hands.

"Oh please drop the staff! Yuki's eyeing me up like a steak!" cried Michiko.

"That's what you said last time." Donatello countered lamely.

"Begin!" Raph charged giving Donatello no choice but to block haphazardly.

"I should have dropped the staff."

"YOU SHOULD HAVE DROPED THE STAFF!" screamed Michiko running away from Yuki who screamed after her.

"COME BACK HERE MEATBALL!"

Donatello barley kept up with his brothers erratic attacks, and his older brother did not appear to be tiring, in panic he struck out with his staff and with a resounding Thunk he'd hit his brother on the nose. Both of them were bewildered, Raphael pausing to wipe his injured snout looking slightly horrified at the small trickle of blood.

'Wow I actually landed a hit on Raph' was Don's first though, feeling rather accomplished but that quickly faded when Raph's expression turned from stunned to apoplectic 'OH GOD I HIT RAPH'. With a roar the hothead launched himself at his brother; Don's feeble attempt to block only resulted in a broken staff.

Raphael threw punch after punch not stopping even when his brother hit the ground. Through the ringing in his ears Don could hear Yoshi bellowing "YAME!" but the red mist had descended and there was no stopping Raphael.

Worst yet Yuki had caught Michiko. The staffie overwhelmed by her humans rage went ballistic down hard on the nape of the collie's neck she began to shake the other dog like a rag doll, while Michiko yelped and screeched.

He could feel her pain jetting through him like a knife and his neck burned as he could feel the skin bruising and tearing.

"ENOUGH RAPHAEL!" tearing one son off the other Yoshi pressed down on one Raphs pressure points, rending the hothead immobile. A roar from the other side of room told him that Meiyo had had enough, the lioness swiped the staffie off the Michiko sending Yuki sprawling to the ground the staffie jumped up ready to face the new opponent when a red crowned crane flew between the pair glaring daring her to try. Not foolish enough to try and go against her mother Yuki stepped down.

Now free Michiko darted to her human switching forms to a chinchilla and hiding in her master's shirt.

Mikey and Leo instantly ran to Don's side helping their brother to a sitting position bombarding him with questions. But Don didn't answer feeling as though he'd vomit if he so much as opened his mouth.

Releasing his now more docile son Yoshi "Raphael, to the Hashi!" he ordered. Raph obeyed taking one last regretful look at his brother.

"Donatello, can you stand?" he nodded not wanting to appear weak to his father, only to find moving lost him his fight against his stomach and threw up over the carpet and himself.

An hour later and he'd cleaned the blood and vomit off himself and Michiko. Luckily there wasn't much blood only bruises; he should think himself fortunate that Raph had resorted to his fists and not his sai. His neck was the worst the bruises a vivid purple and painful to the touch.

Michiko had taken refuge in the crook of his neck and wasn't budging anytime soon.

Raphael and Yuki had approached the pair offering awkward but none the less sincere apologies. While Donatello had reassured them they were forgiven it didn't go unnoticed that Michiko still did not budge.

"Donatello." His father's voice startled him. "Walk with me." He ordered. Dropping the toaster he had been fixing he scurried to obey, talks with his father were never really good usually a lecture on how to improve himself. 'Because clearly who I am isn't good enough' he thought bitterly.

His father waited patiently for him to throw on some shoes and they both walked out into the garden, Daemons following a few paces behind to give the pair privacy.

They walked through the narrow garden to the end where Hamto Yoshi had built up a shrine to his late wife and daughter. Sitting together on the narrow bench, Donatello waited for his father to start the inevitable lecture.

"Where did you think you went wrong today?" and here it comes

" Umm I hit Raph in the face." He started, desperately trying to guess the answer he thought could conclude this awkward conversation.

"No my son, to strike your opponent is the aim of these sparring sessions." Yoshi chuckled "You went wrong after, you hesitated, why?"

"I don't know." Donatello mumbled "Just surprised I actually landed a hit."

Sighing Yoshi continued "I'm growing concerned Donatello that you are falling behind in training."

"What?! No Sensei I try just as hard as everybody else, well except Leo but that's Leo. I attend every training session, run through every Kanta-"

"Yes you do all those things, but you are not dedicated your mind is always elsewhere. This is the third time this week you have lost against every opponent and you've only ever won against is Michelangelo. Today was the closest you've come to beating Raphael for months and I can't recall a time you have lasted more than a couple of minutes against Leonardo."

"Well what do you want me to do about it?" Donatello resisted the urge to snap.

"What I want Donatello is for you to show some dedication to your training." Yoshi said evenly. "I'm worried about you Donatello, You've become so quiet and withdrawn lately and Michiko still hasn't settled."

"What happened to she'll settle in her own time?"

"That was two years ago your nearly 15, it's not normal for a daemon to still be shifting shapes at your age."

'Not normal, that about sums me up. What does he expect me to do? I can't be someone I'm not.'

Sighing again Yoshi pinched the bridge of his nose. "What I mean to say Donatello is that an unsettled Daemon is a sign of someone who can't make up their mind who want to be."

"So you're saying I don't know who I am?" Great psychology 101 with his father.

"In a way yes and no."

'Seriously? Could he be anymore cryptic?'

"This isn't something I teach you, it is something you must learn for yourself."

"Father I have a lot of homework to do."

"Alright, you are excused." Donatello leaped to his feet and walked briskly back towards the house, Michiko racing after him.

"What am I going to with that boy?" pulling out his wallet, he took out a picture of his beloved Tang Shen. "Shen would have known what to say to him."

"And to yourself." Chie added softly landing next to him.

"Hai. That too."

"Why are so concerned? I thought we agreed each of the boys have their own strengths. So Donatello isn't a warrior, he's a gentle soul and a genius to boot, so why the sudden military school?"

"There have been rumours, Chie that the Foot clan are in New York."

"No, not here surely?"

"I'm afraid so, I do not want my sons caught up in this feud between Saki and I, but if he discovers our existence... A battle is no place for a gentle soul. He will be ready, whether he wants to be or not."


	2. Chapter 2

"BOY'S HURRY OR YOU'LL BE LATE." Came Yoshi's almost daily call.

Sighing Donatello shoved the last of his books into his back pack, before trudging downstairs. Mikey raced past him sliding down the banister hooting in delight, Hikari perched on his shoulder.

"Mikey!" He admonished as his brother nearly knocked Michiko of his shoulder, but his excitable brother paid no heed running out the door.

He sighed following suit; while he often scoffed at the notion of precognition something told him that today was not going to be a good day.

School was only a twenty minute walk away; they had that to be grateful for, their fathers beaten old 5 seater car could no longer transport all of them and their daemons like it once hand.

Ahead he could see Raphael laughing and jeering with his best friend Casey Jones. Someone Donatello could never understand the appeal of. The boy had the IQ of a door knob and the arrogance of a snob. But he could understand why Raph was fond of him. The pair were too peas in a pod. Even their daemons were similar a Staffie and a Rottweiler.

Michelangelo was animatedly chatting with one of his numerous friends Leatherhead (a nickname he presumed as he doubted the sanity of any parent naming their child Leatherhead, although Leatherhead definitely wasn't known for sanity.)

Himself and Leonardo walked together as usual, it was nice to be in his eldest brother's company he knew his brother had numerous friends he could walk with instead, but when asked his brother would smile and say "It's okay Donnie I see them enough in school, besides this our time." Normally the pair would walk in amicable silence, but today Leo had other plans.

"So Donatello, how's umm things?" He began awkwardly.

"Umm fine I guess"

"Good, Good. So how's that...thing you're working on.

"Great actually! I finally solved the connection problem I was having you see-

"That's great Don, you see the thing is Sensei has asked me to give you extra training so I was thinking maybe-

"WHOA! Wait What?!" He stopped dead in his tracks.

"Well you know you're a bit behind in training. Sensei has asked me to give you extra lessons." Leo tumbled his worlds.

"Why is he so insistent that I have to learn to fight? Why can't he just back off?" He ground out through gritted.

"Watch your tone Donatello." Warned his brother and Meiyo growled deeply.

"Why can't I have an opinion" he spat back.

"Spot acting like a spoilt brat."

"I will when you stop being Daddy's errand boy."

"Enough!" Leo roared and snatched his hand in a vice like grip "I don't know what's gotten into you and frankly I don't care. We owe Sensei everything. Without him we'd still be living on the streets. So you need to start showing a little more respect understood?" He hissed.

"Ow Yes! Let go!" He relented and Leo gave him one last calculating look before relinquishing his grip.

"Splinter junior." He muttered nastily.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing" he muttered.

The rest of the walk was horrible as both boys stewed bitterly, neither wanting to speak to the other. Their daemons remained silent in fear of breaking the uneasy truce.

Michiko literally sighed in relief when the pair parted ways at the school gates.

"Arsehole"

"Donnie!" Michiko gasped.

"What he is."

"You don't mean that." Donatello just snorted in response, he certainly felt that way currently.

Michiko remained firmly tucked into his collar, as the pair made their way their way through the packed school yard.

They didn't linger for long choosing to head to their first class; there was little else to do, it's not like they had any friends to talk to. Not that either them would know what to do if they ever had friends.

Instead they slipped through the packed corridors, head down to remain as invisible as possible. A particularly hard shove to his shoulder sent them sprawling, Donatello barely catching Michiko. His satchel flew open scattering his books on the floor. He hurriedly tried to gather them before people stood on them, getting his hand stomped on in the process.

He had gathered all but one of his books when a pair of trainers appeared in front of him. "Are you looking for this?"

Looking up Donatello gasped and staggered to his feet.

April O'Neil, by far the prettiest girl he'd ever seen stood in front of him, her fox daemon Revati besides her looking curiously at them.

"H-hello, um April, I mean hi" He stuttered helplessly almost dropping the books he just collected.

"Hi." She smiled and he grinned back, until she coughed gesturing to the book she holding out to him.

"Oh thank you." He chirped. Awkwardly taking his book back from her she smiled.

"You're welcome, Donnie. I'll see you in class." He could only stutter and gape at her retreating back.

"She knows my name." He whispered joyfully to Michiko who squealed happily.

"Phase one is complete."

"It's only taken 3 years but gah she knows my name."

He would never admit it but there was a definite spring in his step on his way to class.

Morning classes passed in their usual blur, while mathematics usually excited him, getting hold of new formulas and equations always did, lately all they had been doing is rehearsing the same stuff over and over again and he had finished within 15 minutes.

Science was much the same, leaving him to stare out of the window for the majority of the lesson until the bell rang for lunch.

Donatello hated lunchtime, as much as he insisted that he didn't need anyone other than Michiko, sitting on the fringes of Mikey's group of friends just emphasised that he was without any friends to call his own.

Taking his usual seat in the cafeteria he opened up his pack lunch, while some of Mikey's cooking concoctions were interesting for lack of better word he was glad to be tucking into some of Mikey's world class lasagne, but before he could even stick his fork in a hand landed heavily on his shoulder.

"Hey gap tooth!" came the obnoxious caterwaul that could come from one being.

Casey Jones. He'd been the bane of Donatello's existence since he and Raph became friends in middle school. For some reason the Puck head seemed to make it his mission to try and get a rise out of him, he was ashamed to say he often rose to his bait, for a Neanderthal he knew exactly what buttons to press.

His daemon Maia was no better the Rottweiler always tried to frighten Michiko usually pinning her with her giant paws.

"What do you want cave mouth?" he snarled and Michiko shifted into her Collie form, glaring at Maia.

"Me and Raph need some money."

"It's Raph and I genius, why are you coming to me?"

Casey shrugged "Leo already said no and Mikey blows all his on comics."

"What do you need it for? And what makes you think I've got any?" He snapped.

"Sorry that's on a need to know kinda basis and Dude you always have money, it's not like you even go anywhere to spend it."

That stung only because it hit so close to home, he stood. "Listen Cave mouth I'm not going to give you and Raph money just so you could waste on some stupid scheme like buying fake ideas."

"How did you know?"

"I didn't! I was guessing!"

"Whatever man, what is your problem? Why have you got to be a bummer about everything?" Casey punctuated his points poking Donatello roughly in the chest. Both daemons were snarling at each other although made no move.

"You're my problem! You idiot! Why can't you just leave me alone?" He shoved Casey shoulder and the punk's expression darkened.

" Raph was right you are just a pathetic nerd." With one final shove he sent Donatello sprawling back against the table, landing hard on something that snarled.

Something leathery...

Jumping back to his feet he could clearly see the snarling crocodile lashing out with its tail and jaws.

Before he could even fumble out an apology he was eclipsed by a massive shadow.

Leatherhead towered over him enraged.

"I-I -I'm really sorr-" was all could manage before a giant hand snagged his hair and slammed his head against the table.

His vision blurred and his ears rang but he was sure he could hear those around him shouting and screaming.

His head was jerked back before being slammed down once more this time there was nothing but darkness that greeted him.


End file.
